Tips for Prevention

Workplace Health

Should you be concerned about increased risks for breast cancer in the workplace? Yes. Jobs across all sectors expose people to hazardous chemicals and radiation at work. Learn steps you can take to protect yourself and reduce your risk for breast cancer.

1. Demand transparency

Different occupations could lead to very different exposures, but everyone from hairdressers to office workers to firefighters to medical professionals will encounter exposures of concern at their workplace. If information about your workplace exposures is not readily available, ask for it.

2. Wear personal protective equipment

Wear personal protective equipment (PPE) as recommended, and make sure it fits well. This is especially true for women working in professions that have been traditionally held by men, since the equipment may not be sized appropriately.

3. Learn about the health hazards of workplace chemicals

ChemHat is a website and phone app that was designed, with workers’ input, to create a user-friendly research tool on the health effects of different chemicals.

4. Use your power

If you belong to a union or have collective power with fellow employees, advocate for contract language that includes protections from unsafe chemical exposures, and that supports a transition to safer alternatives.